Field of the Invention
The disclosed and claimed concept relates to containers and, more specifically a container that is transportable prior to use in a nested configuration, and, when used in an enclosed configuration, includes reinforced couplings.
Background Information
One type of container is of moderate size and multipurpose. For example, milk crates are a moderate size container which are commonly repurposed to store a variety of objects. Milk crates have proven to be so popular that the design has been copied or emulated as general purpose containers, hereinafter “moderate sized containers.” These moderate sized containers are used both for moving objects and for storing/displaying objects. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, such moderate sized containers 1 include five generally planar sidewalls 2 defining an enclosed space 3 as well as one sidewall that defines a “primary opening” 4. As used herein, a “primary opening” is an opening substantially the same size as the sidewall that defines it. Such a primary opening allows the user to access the enclosed space and allows for the moderate sized containers to be used to display objects. It is noted that when such moderate sized containers are used for displaying objects, several moderate sized containers are often stacked in a matrix to create a bookshelf-like assembly. Such moderate sized containers, however, have several disadvantages including disadvantages relating to the configuration of the moderate sized containers when being transported prior to use, i.e. a shipping configuration (wherein the moderate sized containers are being shipped and are not being used to ship other objects) and the configuration of the moderate sized containers when in use, i.e. a use configuration.
That is, for example, a milk crate-like moderate sized container is substantially rigid owning in part to a unitary construction and numerous supporting ribs on the sidewalls. In this embodiment, the shipping configuration and the use configuration is the same as the moderate sized containers cannot be altered. Moreover, because such moderate sized containers are generally the same size, transportation of the moderate sized containers prior to use, i.e. when being shipped to a reseller, is inefficient because the moderate sized containers cannot be nested. Stated alternately, the density of the moderate sized containers in a shipping configuration is very low. While such moderate sized containers could be reconfigured with tapered walls, so as to allow nesting, this shape would be less useful as the tapered moderate sized containers could not be stacked in a bookshelf-like configuration when in use.
Alternatively, moderate sized containers are made from separate sidewalls or sidewall assemblies that are coupled together. In this configuration, the sidewalls do not include support ribs or other elements that extend substantially out of the plane of the sidewall. In this configuration, such separate sidewalls/sidewall assemblies may be stored in a stacked/nested configuration for shipping. That is, the density of the containers during shipping is relatively high. When such moderate sized containers are assembled, however, the moderate sized containers have several disadvantages. That is, a five-sided container is weak along the four edges that extend generally normal to the plane of the primary opening. Generally, because the sidewall at the primary opening is mostly absent, the other sidewalls are not stiffened and may collapse in a hinge-like manner. Stated alternately, loads on a limited number of the five sidewalls are not transferred to the other sidewalls, thereby causing the container to collapse. Such moderate sized containers could include additional supports, such as gussets, but such additional elements add to the cost and the assembly time of the moderate sized containers.
There is, therefore, a need for a moderate sized container that can be configured in a high density configuration for shipping, and, which can be configured to transfer loads when in use. There is a further need for such a moderate sized container to be inexpensive and to be easily assembled without substantial additional hardware.